Rorin
CLANK!
"Come on, Rorin, at leasttryto beat me!" Bennett taunts, his sword swinging down by my ankles. He laughs when I barely manage to jump out of the way and block his blow.
Backing away, I bring my blade out in front of me. The hilt spins heavily in my palm today, the weapon feeling more like lead than another extension of myself.
Bennett lunges forward, and I cast it out, catching the edge of his sword.
SCRAAAAPPPPEEE!
Sparks fly off the metal as we drag the blades down, stopping only when both tips touch the floor. He pulls his away sharply, trying to knock me off balance as he moves to swing again.
Turning on the balls of my feet, I arc over my head and bat his sword away before he can recover. I succeed at knocking it out of his hands, poising the sharpened tip of mine at the center of his chest.
"Was that trying hard enough?" I snap.
The sweat's dripping off both our brows, and I relent, giving him enough room to hop backwards and retrieve his weapon. "Meh — so you got one good hit in, I bet I'll still win the spar." I snort and replant both of my feet.
We take off at the same time our blades meet each other, hit for hit, as the loud clanging and clashing of the match bounces off the stone walls.
CLANG!
Our swords form an "x", driving us together until our noses are mere inches apart. We grunt against the other’s force, Bennett’s face turning red when his brow quirks up and—
"You conveniently snuck away this morning."Her voice slams into my mind.
"I— OOF!"I land harshly on the ground, my guard’s shit-eating grin hanging above me. “Fuck.”
He reaches a hand out for me to take, and I slap it away — choosing instead to stop the humiliation there and push myself off the ground.
From the corner of my eye, I catch something glinting in the light and turn to see Will, holding my discarded sword, a disappointed frown plastered on his face. "Don't look at me like that." I sigh, snatching the hilt from him and sheathing it at my hip.
"That was pathetic."
"Bennett was better than me." I shrug, throwing the man a bone as he sits down to polish his blade.
Will's eyes roll, crossing both arms over his chest. "You're distracted, your mind elsewhere. Do that on the battlefield, and you're dead."
"It was just a bad morning, Will." I placate, dropping a hand onto his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Eveera can just bring him back." Bennett chirps when—
CRACK!
A blinding flash of light strikes next to his body, sending him tumbling to the ground. "What in the gods?!" He shouts, scrambling backwards along the floor, kicking the nowsingedwood stool away from him.
"Fucking Vellaran scum."
The three of us snap our attention over to the entrance and see Maxwell seething, electricity crackling around his palms.
"Max!" Millie shouts, rushing in behind him, "are you okay?"
"Isheokay?!" Bennett snaps, gesturing frantically at himself and the seat he'd just been occupying. Millie's jaw drops as she looks between the two men, her fingers trying to wrap around Max's bicep, but he shirks her off, turning away to storm down the hall.
She looks desperately back at Max before turning her eyes accusingly at Ben. "What did you do?"
"Ah— I didn't know he was right there."
